Maestro at Starbucks Coffee Place via WAN Works Fantastic!!!!!!!

mikeatthebeach .

Starbucks Remote Ham Band Maestro Remote On CW See pictures below No Splash Screen HooToo Travel Router and Maestro !!!!! Having Fun Mike

tparish

Mike this is great. I'm wondering why you picked that particular router. Looks like it has a lot of extra neat features. Wondering why that one. Thanks Tom KB5RF

mikeatthebeach .

No cables Built in 10.4maH battery HooToo Titan Traveler Works Great!

Mike W8MM

Please give more details about how Maestro is connected.

How long can you operate before the Maestro locks up on receive (waterfall freezes w/no audio) and you have to reboot? 

Is your Maestro gen1 or gen2?

mikeatthebeach .

Mine is Gen 2

Mike W8MM

Is the HooToo connected to Starbucks WiFi and bridged to the Maestro?

mikeatthebeach .

Yes, it is ! HooToo connects to Starbucks and Maestro then connects to HooToo Mike

Ted VE3TRQ

The built-in battery would do it for me! Set-and-forget is the other useful thing. I bought a GL-iNet Slate because it’s set-and-forget AND it allows WiFi control of my Nikon camera! But no battery :-( Need to use my cellphone booster battery with it. There are a number of great choices these days.

Tim Aust

Looks great

nz2z

How do you get through the splash screen?

Ted VE3TRQ

Typically you use a smartphone or tablet (or a laptop) to facilitate the WiFi connection process. The extra device connects with Ethernet or WiFi to the travel router’s client network (not the one that will connect to the coffee shop hotspot).

John - AI4FR

Excellent post and it looks like Mike is having a lot of fun.

Question: Why the need for the HooToo Travel Router? Is it a security thing and/or is the Maestro's wifi capabilities on the weak side? In other words, why not just use the wifi in the Maestro to connect to Starbucks wifi and avoid carrying around another piece of equipment. Please forgive my ignorance as I am a new Maestro owner and have only used it around the house with the wifi here. Seems to work just fine. TIA.

Ted VE3TRQ

One phrase: Captive portal login :-( The Maestro is not capable of satisfying a web-based captive portal to agree to the WiFi suppliers conditions / contract.

John - AI4FR

Thanks Ted. As weird as it may seem, I have as of yet never logged into another(free) wifi network. So should I decide to do so than the above router would be a necessity to keep everyone happy.

Harold Rosee

Ted,

How does the router get past the signon?  Do you use a phone or something to agree to the terms and then good to go?

Harold

Ted VE3TRQ

The router will allow browser access through its private Ethernet or WiFi connection to its public (Starbucks, whatever) WiFi connection, thus interacting with the site’s login or connection agreement requirements. So, yes, you typically need a phone, iPad, or other device with a screen. At least that’s the way it works with my GL-iNet travel router - no reason this one would be any different. Oh, and once you agree to the terms, you are absolutely right Harold, you can put your phone back in your pocket :-)

Bob KN4HH

I just purchased a HooToo and am having a bit of difficulty.  I can put it in the Bridging mode and can access the local Starbucks wifi portal just fine.  I use my iPhone to get past the Starbucks log in and the HooToo is discoverable by my iPhone.  I turn on the Maestro and it discovers the HooToo and connects.  However the Maestro will not complete the boot up to the radio.  It sees my 6500.  However it will not complete the boot cycle.  I have tried other wifi hotspots including my own and I get the same results.
Are there any settings in the HooToo that have to be changed.

Thanks for any ideas.

Bob, KN4HH

Ted VE3TRQ

If it truly does have bridge mode, nothing should be standing in the way. Does SmartLink work from elsewhere with WiFi _without_ the HooToo in the loop?

mikeatthebeach .

Try not using WEP or WEP2 in the setup of the HooToo Set HooToo to be Unrestricted -No Encryption Mike

Bob KN4HH

Yes, Smartlink works fine using my iPhone hotspot.

mikeatthebeach .

In the HooToo Router Software to access the HooToo try choosing no WEP or no WEP2 Encryption Otherwise the Maestro will not like it ! No Encryption Mike

Bob KN4HH

I tried no WEP and still no change.  The Maestro boots up to the point where the top of the display is populated but no panadapter or waterfall.  I tried Smartsdr for ios on my iPhone using the HooToo and it works.

mikeatthebeach .

If you are at Starbucks and trying to use The Maestro remotely and see no Spectrum And Waterfall it may be due to the speed of You home internet connection How fast is your home WiFi to WAN outside During a SpeedTest I run Fiber FIOS at unbelievable speed Of 500Mbytes/sec upload and download The Maestro needs at least 2 to 3 Mbytes/sec Upload, the faster the better Mike

Bob KN4HH

My home network runs 150 Mbytes download and 15 Mbytes upload.  Speedtest at Starbucks shows 10 Mbytes/sec download and 4 Mbytes/sec upload.  Using my iPhone hot spot, I have no problem using the Maestro.

Bob KN4HH

I tried manually selecting DHCP in the Maestro Network Menu and now I get a good connection to the 6500 via the Starbucks internet.  Sorry for all the bandwidth.
Thanks so much for all the suggestions.

73, Bob, KN4HH

chris1165

This is amazing and why I just ordered the 6400 and Maestro.  Heck, all I want to do is take the Maestro out on my deck or take it to my daughters house when I visit.  But this.... This is too much. I'm excited and can't wait to operate CW remotely.  TU for sharing.

de N3MLB

mikeatthebeach .

Chris Get a lot of remarks at Starbucks when working CW with the Maestro there and I tell them I am texting My friends via CW !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRuRE... 73 Mike